An Honorable Man
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Eighth in the Shakespeare series. Following the events of episode 6x03, JJ and Rossi enjoy dinner together. Read as Rossi opens up about his deeper fears. TWOSHOT
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Hello, friends. A couple of announcements for you all today.**_

_**We have TWO days left to nominate our favorite stories and authors for first ever ff. net based Profiler's Choice Awards located at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". The nomination deadline is October 15, 2010. We have had a great response so far and we still want to hear from you. Rules, deadlines, and the blank ballot are all located at the forum (which can be reached thru a link in both my and tonnie2001969's profile pages).**_

_**We'd also like to announce our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple. Participants can either PM us or join on the forum thread **__**telling us 1) Which pairings you would feel comfortable writing, 2) the central pairing you'd like to be featured in the story you receive as a Christmas gift, and 3) Name a Christmas carol plus three Christmas-y prompts you'd like to see in the story you receive as a Christmas gift (you'll only have to use three of the four items in the actual fic). Assignments will be given on November 1st and you'll have until DECEMBER 25, 2010 to post your gift. Further details are available at the forum. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**We also have a new discussion thread open for your comments called, "What Do We, the Authors, Owe Our Readers?" Please drop by and leave your thoughts.**_

* * *

**An Honorable Man**

**Chapter One**

Pulling into Jennifer Jareau's short driveway, David Rossi could feel the relief sliding through his body. After the hunt for the team's most recent psycho, The Butcher, he knew he needed this respite from the horror he'd seen…and from the horrors that threatened to invade his mind. Closing his eyes, he tried to block out the image of the vacant eyed killer he'd helped apprehend.

It's over now, he told himself. Both the Butcher and his apprentice son were behind bars, where hopefully they'd stay for the rest of their natural lives. Although, admittedly, by the look of the senior unsub, that wouldn't be very long, Dave acknowledged. Nature was taking care of that problem far quicker that the judicial system could.

Grabbing the bottle of wine from the passenger seat, he reminded himself that now wasn't the time for those grim thoughts he'd been having. He had nothing in common with that deranged killer. Nothing at all.

Well, nothing besides the fact that the years had passed for him, too...aging him. Grimacing as he remembered that look of total confusion in the unsub's eyes when he'd been caught, the humiliation he'd seen in the guy's eyes when he'd pissed himself, Dave sighed. Maybe this case had hit a little too close to his own fears after all, he silently admitted, thoughts of his own mortality passing through his mind more than once in the last few weeks.

And with those doubts came even more fears…the past influenced the future far more than he cared to admit.

Looking at the tidy portico of JJ's townhouse, Rossi sighed heavily. What the hell was he doing here?

Jennifer Jareau was twenty years his junior...she had a son...a life...a future. He was in the twilight of his life, headed toward a second retirement at a faster clip than most. Hell, most men his age were bouncing a grandkid on each knee, not imagining beginning a life with a woman that was just beginning her journey. He should simply get in his truck and go the hell home.

But as he stood there staring at her front door, something told him that would most definitely be a colossal mistake. Not a first for him by a long stretch...but potentially the most damaging. If there was even a chance, didn't he owe it to himself to pursue it and damn the consequences?

"_You've never been a particularly honorable man before, Rossi_," his ego retorted before asking, _"Why start now?"_

_"C'mon, Dave, it's dinner between two friends, not a lifetime commitment. And, besides, she's waiting for you,"_ his conscience reminded him in that patient voice that often annoyed him far more than encouraging him.

Shaking his head at his own internal struggle, Dave pulled his shoulders back. It was dinner...dinner with an incredibly beautiful woman who had graciously been willing to cook for him. Leaving now would be not only rude, but stupid. No self-respecting bachelor turned away from homemade food.

Or from a beautiful woman.

And with those thoughts, Dave headed for the door.

An hour and a half later, David Rossi felt more relaxed than he recalled being in recent memory. He'd enjoyed a leisurely meal that he hadn't had to cook, some expensive wine that he'd provided compliments of his extensive collection, and the company of an infinitely stunning woman that still had the power to captivate him with a simple toss of her head.

And for the first time since he'd dropped her and her son off after their weekend at his cabin, Dave found himself enjoying life. In spite of everything that had happened that week, he felt happy…at peace.

Because of her.

Accepting a refill to his wine glass, Dave watched as JJ settled herself into the corner of her couch, drawing her shapely legs underneath her.

"Okay, tell the truth," JJ murmured, propping her chin in her hand as she stared at him, "How bad was this last case?" she probed gently. The look of disillusionment shining in his eyes when she'd opened her door tonight had told her more about his current state of mind than anything else she'd heard so far. Both Hotch and Garcia had warned her that the last case had affected Dave more than he was copping to...but that distant light in his eye was far more telling for her.

David Rossi didn't hide his emotions well. And what she was seeing gave her a tiny clue to his obviously depressed psyche.

And she didn't like it. Not one whit.

"It was a case, Jen," Dave shrugged, his face tightening slightly in spite of his best efforts. "They're all bad. You know that," he reminded her softly.

"True," JJ agreed with a slight inclination of her heard. "But not all of them put that look you're wearing in your eyes," she said, pointing one finger in the direction of his face, barely resisting the urge to attempt to smooth the wrinkles away.

"Some cases remind me more than others that I'm not quite as young as I used to be," Dave admitted heavily, raising his wine glass to his lips.

"You aren't quite as old as you think you are either," JJ countered, slapping his arm lightly, letting her fingers linger against the warm linen of his shirt.

"JJ, it won't be too many more years before I'm sitting in that unsub's position...hell, at least the unsub had his son...if I ever get that bad...there's no one," Dave noted softly, his fingers tightening around the stem of the glass.

"He had dementia, didn't he?" JJ asked quietly, her eyes running over Dave's tired face, the lines and wrinkles more prominent this evening.

"Alzheimer's," Dave corrected before cocking his head to the side. "Same difference though...the guy's mind was gone, Jen."

"The guy's mind was already gone, Dave. He was a loon before he ever got sick," JJ pointed out evenly.

"I know that," Dave nodded. "I just...my dad had dementia toward the end...and he had three kids. Me and my two sisters. We took turns taking care of him. It was hard but we did it. Seeing that guy...I just keep wondering what will happen to me if it comes down to that."

"Oh, I'm sure the team and I can rotate you from house to house," JJ winked. "Morgan will particularly love you. I bet you'd make an incredibly entertaining conversation piece for his female du jour."

"Smartass," Dave grumbled though his lips quirked slightly in amusement. And once again, he remembered why he had wanted to be in her company this evening….she made everything seem much brighter.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: Hello, friends. A couple of announcements for you all today.**_

_**We have ONE day left to nominate our favorite stories and authors for first ever ff. net based Profiler's Choice Awards located at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". The nomination deadline is tomorrow, October 15, 2010. We have had a great response so far, and we still want to hear from you. Rules, deadlines, and the blank ballot are all located at the forum (which can be reached thru a link in both my and tonnie2001969's profile pages).**_

_**We'd also like to announce our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple. Participants can either PM us or join on the forum thread **__**telling us 1) Which pairings you would feel comfortable writing, 2) the central pairing you'd like to be featured in the story you receive as a Christmas gift, and 3) Name a Christmas carol plus three Christmas-y prompts you'd like to see in the story you receive as a Christmas gift (you'll only have to use three of the four items in the actual fic). Assignments will be given on November 1st and you'll have until DECEMBER 25, 2010 to post your gift. Further details are available at the forum. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**We also have a new discussion thread open for your comments called, "What Do We, the Authors, Owe Our Readers?" Please drop by and leave your thoughts.**_

* * *

**An Honorable Man**

**Chapter Two**

"Drink your wine, Dave," JJ ordered gently. "You aren't going to be alone no matter what you think. I won't let you and neither will anyone else."

Leaning his head back against the cushions, Dave tried to ignore how good this felt...how right. It was transient, he told himself sternly. Tomorrow, she'd go back to her life and he'd go back to his and finding a way to keep them intertwined was becoming harder and harder, despite how badly he wanted to do it.

But in spite of his thoughts, he couldn't resist the urge to hold on tightly to what they had at that very moment. "Thank you for inviting me over, Jen. You didn't need to repay me but I can't deny how much I enjoyed it."

"It was nice to cook for somebody that appreciated it," JJ returned with a faint smile, ignoring the thoughts of the other man that had once shared her life. "And the fact that it wasn't eaten with my fingers was a distinct bonus."

Laughing appreciatively, Dave nodded. "I imagine mealtimes can get pretty creative with Henry."

"That's a nice way of putting it," JJ smirked, shaking her head "Last night, I wore the mashed potatoes. Actually putting them in my mouth tonight was a rare treat."

"How're you two doing? I know being away from him was hard this week..."

Forcing a smile on her lips, JJ swallowed. "It was," she nodded slowly. "But I will admit that aside from a very rushed trip to the Middle East, I have been home with him more - even with the new job. And we're adjusting. Slowly."

"Will?" Dave prodded carefully, adept at hearing the unspoken in her measured words.

"Haven't heard from him and don't care to," JJ informed him evenly, lifting her wine glass to her own lips. "He had his chance. He blew it." Seeing the slight grin creasing his mouth, JJ raised one eyebrow. "What?" she asked around the rim of her glass.

"Huh?" Dave grunted indecisively, quickly schooling his features into a neutral mask.

"That smile," JJ said, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "Don't think I didn't see it."

"I just admire your decisive outlook on things," Dave chuckled, holding up one hand in the air, a peace offering. "It's one of the things I admire most about you."

Shrugging as she leaned against the stuffed cushion, JJ sighed. "What can I say? I gave it...him...my best shot. It was over between us a long time before I actually closed the lid on the coffin...I just didn't want to see it. I guess I didn't want to have to admit to failure."

"It wasn't just your failure, Jen. From what I've gathered, he wasn't exactly Mr. Supportive. Then or now," Dave replied, his deep voice unwavering. "You deserved better and so did your son. You took measures to make sure that you both got it...or at least could try to find it when the time is right."

"There was nothing smart or rational about staying with a man that I had nothing in common with nor did I like very much for over a year, Dave," JJ murmured, twirling the wineglass between her fingers nervously, her chest tightening as she realized the pathway their conversation was taking.

"If I know you at all, I'm going to guess that you were trying really hard to preserve your son's family," Dave drawled. "Am I close?" he asked, quirking his lips and sending her a telling stare.

"Right on target," JJ muttered, wrinkling her nose prettily. "Per your usual," she teased, winking at him.

"I've been around the block myself a time or two, Jen. Nothing you've done seems remotely unusual to me...just very, very human."

"I may have to keep you around, Rossi," JJ said with a smile in his direction.

"And why is that?" Dave asked curiously, his mind cataloguing her words to replay at a future moment.

"You have the oddest ability to make me feel better about myself," JJ answered truthfully, her tone warm and open. "Anybody else could say the things you have and I'd tell them they were full of crap. You actually make me believe it."

"You haven't exactly been bad for my ego either, Jen," Dave said softly, reaching out to sweep his fingers against her wrist, needing the slight skin to skin contact.

"Then maybe we should make a habit of these little therapy sessions of ours," JJ suggested hopefully, looking at him through lowered lashes. "If you wanted," she said, trying to interject some nonchalance she didn't feel into her tone.

"Why, Jennifer Jareau, are you asking me for a weekly date?" Dave asked smugly, his eyes twinkling.

"Not if you're going to be an arrogant ass about it," JJ returned sweetly, arching one blonde brow.

"I'll try to restrain myself," Dave smirked, using the arm thrown over the back of her couch to tug gently at her pony tail. "And incidentally, there's not anything else I can think of that I'll look forward to more, JJ."

"Really?" JJ asked suspiciously. "You're one of the most sought after bachelors in the city, Dave...are you sure I won't be cramping your style?"

"What style?" Dave snorted, threading his fingers through her soft locks. "I'm getting choosy in my old age, Jen," he winked. "And I happen to like the company I have right now just fine."

And he did. His eyes and tone told her that he meant every word he spoke, and her heart warmed. "I'm glad," JJ said with a shaky smile. "I'm a little rusty at the man/woman social interaction side of things."

"You?" Dave grunted with a roll of his eyes. "I," he said, thumping his chest for dramatic effect, "have learned to appreciate the monk lifestyle."

"I find that hard to believe," JJ said, laughing outright as she bumped her shoulder against his.

"That hurts," Dave mock grumped. "Trust me, Jen...half of what you've read and heard is false."

"Only half?" JJ quipped.

"Okay," Dave amended, "a fourth then."

"That's better," JJ chuckled, her words fading off into nothingness as they sat in companionable silence. Long seconds later, she murmured, "I have fun with you, Dave. And I haven't had fun in a long time."

"Me either," Dave sighed, gently stroking the nape of her neck as her body leaned unconsciously closer.

"I don't know where this can go," JJ said, softly honest as she looked up at him, unwilling to mislead him or make promises she couldn't keep.

"I don't either," Dave whispered, staring down at her upturned face. "But I'm going to enjoy finding out," he warned, his lips descending to hers.

And as Jennifer Jareau's eyes drifted closed, she knew she might not know very much at the moment. But she was sure of one thing.

They might not have a destination yet, but it was going to be one hell of a ride.

Finis


End file.
